iStat Menus Updated With New Look, History Views, and Bandwidth Monitor

[MacRumors]

iStat Menus by Bjango has been updated to version 4, adding a new look and new features. Among other things, the app now shows a historical chart of various system metrics looking at the past hour, 24 hours and week. It also adds a Little Snitch-esque look at which processes are using up network bandwidth.

Bjango has now come out with iStat Menus 4, and the new version has some interesting and, for me, welcome changes. Aside from the usual bug fixes, Retina support and better Mountain Lion compatibility, iStat Menus 4 introduces a refreshed look that brings consistency with Bjango's other iStat app, iStat 2. iStat Menus now features the same style for graphs and charts as iStat 2, and, even better, it comes with the same History menu to view a component's performance over time. For instance, you can mouse over the CPU's main graph and check out a second menu with History for the past hour, 24 hours, and 7 days. There are more time-related view options available, and there's more to customize in the app's Preferences (which have also been redesigned, and it took me a while to get used to them at first). I appreciate the consistency with iStat 2, and I like History because it lets me easily check my network's conditions over time.

iStat Menus 4 is available for $16 via Bjango's online store. It's $9 for current iStat Menus 3 owners.

Article Link: iStat Menus Updated With New Look, History Views, and Bandwidth Monitor

[Quu]

I actually purchased iStat Menus 3 when it released but I don't think I'm going to pay for this new version. I don't see why I would pay to get what is essentially a Retina Graphic update. The new features are pretty worthless.

[kockgunner]

Is the dashboard one still free? There was a weird period where it was supposedly paid but I still got it for free. I think if you restore from Time Machine and just copy the files over the older versions still work. Anyway, I don't care to know about these stats anymore.

[jvpython]

This app is awesome! I purchased it right away. Definitely worth the $16. It gives you comprehensive information on every part of your computer and now you can even manually change the fans speeds! Highly recommend.

[Unggoy Murderer]

Originally Posted by Quu

I actually purchased iStat Menus 3 when it released but I don't think I'm going to pay for this new version. I don't see why I would pay to get what is essentially a Retina Graphic update. The new features are pretty worthless.

Just purchased, downloaded and installed on my 2011 iMac. The history views are pretty nice, and the UI on both the app and menus looks a lot fresher. It also includes the details of attached network storage too, and the new Networking status menu is quite nice too. Worth the small upgrade fee to be honest.

[Cougarcat]

Originally Posted by Quu

I actually purchased iStat Menus 3 when it released but I don't think I'm going to pay for this new version. I don't see why I would pay to get what is essentially a Retina Graphic update. The new features are pretty worthless.

Yeah, I don't see any reason to upgrade either.

[The Bulge]

Still shows that all GPU memory is used.

[parish]

I hope they've addressed the battery life issue that's been annoying me ever since I got my retina MBP. The iStat Menu battery remaining %age is consistently 2-5% less than the OS X battery indicator

Didn't happen on my old 2007 MBP

[oneMadRssn]

Originally Posted by kockgunner

Is the dashboard one still free? There was a weird period where it was supposedly paid but I still got it for free. I think if you restore from Time Machine and just copy the files over the older versions still work. Anyway, I don't care to know about these stats anymore.

iStat Pro for Dashboard is gone, no more. You can find a few thread on if here, one thread has been updating it and fixing some of the incompatibilities it has with Mountain Lion, but overall, its donezo.

[jvpython]

Originally Posted by The Bulge

Still shows that all GPU memory is used.

What Mac are you using it on? Has never done that to me.

[bobobenobi]

I just upgraded. It's buggy. Clicking to next month takes me to December 2013. Clicking the heading to return to current month takes me to October 2012. The text indicator for upload/download speeds stays stuck at 0.0b/s. Those disk space indicator bars and most of the other graphs are UGLY. The text in the menus is way too large and makes my sensors menu extend WAY off screen.

[davidwarren]

I'll stick with version 3.

[quester]

I just bought v3 three days ago. Complained yesterday when I saw the new version, and they sent me a new registration for v4 five minutes later.

Not sure if v3 had info about which processes was consuming the most bandwidth, but very nicely done in v4 (no need for little snitch).

[vvebsta]

Why do they keep charging for every version? Its so annoying once a new version comes out and then it either bugs you to update or if you update it by accident it will tell you now you need to buy it. Its still the same app just with some new graphics.

They need to put it on the app store and give free updates. Just my opinion. I know developers need to get paid too, but I don't think a few new icons is worth the money.

[bmauter]

What's wrong with MenuMeters? It's free.

http://www.ragingmenace.com/software/menumeters/

[Cougarcat]

Originally Posted by vvebsta

Why do they keep charging for every version? Its so annoying once a new version comes out and then it either bugs you to update or if you update it by accident it will tell you now you need to buy it. Its still the same app just with some new graphics.

They need to put it on the app store and give free updates. Just my opinion. I know developers need to get paid too, but I don't think a few new icons is worth the money.

At least there is upgrading pricing.

If it were on the MAS (BTW, I think app store restrictions make it impossible) what would happen is the old version would get pulled and everyone would have to pay full price.

Relevant, Bjango's take on the app store.

[weezerr]

This product is massively overpriced. $5 and Id buy it for the skins, otherwise cant seem to justify it over the free alternatives.

[maxwelltech]

Originally Posted by bmauter

What's wrong with MenuMeters? It's free.

http://www.ragingmenace.com/software/menumeters/

That is what I use every day. Does its job very well. I can't justify $16 for something that is essentially a minimized version of Activity Monitor.

[Greg.]

This may be me, but it looks really messy and ugly to me. Having your internet speed and CPU usage showing all the time is a unnecessary distraction and goes against the 'it just works' Mac philosophy. It's all a bit linux-sy!

Simplicity and consistency:

[larrylaffer]

Originally Posted by Greg.

This may be me, but it looks really messy and ugly to me. Having your internet speed and CPU usage showing all the time is a unnecessary distraction and goes against the 'it just works' Mac philosophy. It's all a bit linux-sy!

This post makes me sad.

[Greg.]

Originally Posted by larrylaffer

This post makes me sad.

Why, out of interest? It's just my personal view and can understand why many people would disagree with me. But nowadays computers are powerful enough for me to not worry about what % of RAM I'm utilising at all times. Ages ago when I was on a old Windows desktop, I always was opening task manager and checking process usage, and it was sucked. Simplicity and ease of use ftw!

Just eww:

[Blaine]

Originally Posted by bmauter

What's wrong with MenuMeters? It's free.

http://www.ragingmenace.com/software/menumeters/

Well for one, it's fugly.

I never thought I'd say this, but I downloaded the trial, and absolutely fell in love with it. I too wish it was on the mac app store, but oh well.

[HiRez]

Originally Posted by bmauter

What's wrong with MenuMeters? It's free.

http://www.ragingmenace.com/software/menumeters/

MenuMeters FTW, it's awesome.

[paduck]

Originally Posted by vvebsta

Why do they keep charging for every version? Its so annoying once a new version comes out and then it either bugs you to update or if you update it by accident it will tell you now you need to buy it. Its still the same app just with some new graphics.

They need to put it on the app store and give free updates. Just my opinion. I know developers need to get paid too, but I don't think a few new icons is worth the money.

You've got to be kidding me. I bought v3.0 in May 2010 for $16. More than two and a half years later I can get an upgrade for $9. That's less than three lattes at Starbucks. It really isn't that much money. I have to say I use iStat menus a lot. I like to see the network speed when I am transferring files around the house and I like to see the CPU temp and activity levels - especially when I am doing video encoding. It's a very useful application.

The developers have to make some money, they really can't just give the product away for free. They aren't out there monetizing the thing every twelve months. Again, it's been 31 months since I purchased 3.0 and they've constantly upgraded the product through various Apple system upgrades to maintain compatibility. This product is a steal at the price. Don't begrudge the authors for wanting to make a little profit. They have a nice suite of integrated products at reasonable prices. It would be nice if there were more small developers like them.

[GIZBUG]

Originally Posted by weezerr

This product is massively overpriced. $5 and Id buy it for the skins, otherwise cant seem to justify it over the free alternatives.

Agree'd

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after installing the free trial, im not sure how to get rid of the default mac Time, battery, etc. Any idea? Want to use istat time, and not the default time on the top bar on my mac.